Friday News, January 3

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(Le Mars) -- With having completed the swearing of the oath of office, Dick Kirchoff officially is again, the mayor of the city of Le Mars. City officials participated in the oath of office this morning, with Judge Robert Dull presiding over the ceremonies. Iowa law requires newly elected officials to be sworn in for civic duties prior to noon on January 2nd. In addition to Mayor Kirchoff, newly elected city council member, Clark Goodchild raised his hand and promised to uphold the laws as a duly elected city official.

Listen to

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Due to scheduling conflicts, council members Rex Knapp and Ken Nelson were previously sworn into office as council members. Floyd Valley Hospital trustees Craig Bauerly and Bill Young also were given the oath of office as newly elected hospital trustees.

Henrich To Lead County Supervisors

(Le Mars) -- The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors selected Jim Henrich of Akron and Don Kass of Remsen to serve as chairman and vice chairman of the board of supervisors. Both supervisors have retained their positions from last year. The supervisors appointed various vacancies to fill county boards. The supervisors also discussed the Youth Emergency Services Center located at Cherokee. The juvenile detention center is looking to restructure its payment program. 14 counties send troubled juveniles to the facility.

No New Year's Baby As Of Yet At Floyd Valley Hospital

(Le Mars) -- Still no word from Floyd Valley Hospital as to a new year's baby, but Mike Donlin, hospital administrator, says the local hospital saw a near record number of births this past year.

Listen to

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Donlin isn't certain as to the exact number of babies delivered at Floyd Valley hospital in 2013, but he says it may not be long before a new arrival can be expected.

Listen to

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

When the hospital administrator looks back on 2013, he admits because of the time and committment, the north addition expansion project is what first comes to mind, along with the successful capital fundraising campaign. However, Donlin says he will also think about the Dr. Giha coming to Le Mars at the same time, when longtime physician Dr. Tom Duncan decided to retire.

Listen to

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Le Mars Fire Department Responds to 22 Calls In December

(Le Mars) -- The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department responded to a total of 22 calls for December, according to a release showing the monthly statistics. There were seven fire calls, five rescue calls, five investigations, and four requests for services.

Iowa Offers Tax Credits For Solar Energy

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa Revenue Department says the state awarded $1.36 million in tax credits to Iowa people and companies for installing solar energy systems last year. 264 credits were awarded. The tax credits almost hit the yearly cap of $1.5 million. In 2012 tax credits worth $621,000 were awarded. The department says 65 applications received in 2013 couldn't be processed in time for the report's release, so the credit numbers could go up. Ninety-seven of the tax credits were awarded to corporations for a total of nearly $988,000. The remaining 167 were given to individuals for a total of more than $368,000. ---

Des Moines Boy Beaten - Attackers Brag About Incident Online

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Police are investigating the beating of a 16-year-old Des Moines boy whose attackers bragged about it online. Stacie Weldon says her son, Nathan Rogers, was attacked early Tuesday morning at a friend's house. He was knocked unconscious and suffered facial bone fractures and a concussion. He left a hospital on Wednesday. Weldon says "they knocked him out and beat him and beat him and when he came to again, as soon as he came to, they beat him unconscious again." Then, Weldon says, the attackers and witnesses posted mocking comments online. Police have reported no arrests.

Car Crashes Into Lawmaker's House

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) - Authorities say a car has crashed into the Davenport house of state Representative Cindy Winckler, but the lawmaker and her husband were not hurt. Winckler, D-Davenport, tells the Quad-City Times that she and her husband, Joe, were home Thursday when a car crashed through their living room wall. She says the crash sounded like an explosion. The newspaper reports at least two people, a man and a woman, were inside the car at the time of the accident. Their conditions have not been released. Winckler tells the newspaper that she called 911 as the woman in the car asked for help. Authorities have not released additional information.

Young Drops Out Of Senate Race -- Takes Up Candidacy For House Seat

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa Republican David Young is jumping into the race for the U.S. House seat held by retiring Rep. Tom Latham and out of the crowded GOP field for U.S. Senate. Young, of Van Meter, told The Associated Press he'd originally planned to seek the 3rd District seat and assumed Latham would run for Senate. But Latham, of Clive, opted against a Senate race, and he announced last month his plans to retire after finishing his 10th term. Young was also trailing in fundraising and had recently shed key staff. Despite Young's departure from the Senate race, it remains crowded as six Republicans are seeking the nomination for the seat held by Sen. Tom Harkin, who is retiring. Young is the first Republican to announce he'll seek the 3rd District seat.